Single Serve Combination Wine Bottle and Wine Glass

ABSTRACT

A single serving wine bottle is disclosed wherein the bottle can be easily and quickly transformed into a wine glass without adding any parts to the basic design. The device functions as both a wine bottle and a wine glass and five main components: bottle body, base, base band, top band, and tear away seal to keep the wine inside the bottle and fresh. The base is fastened onto the bottle&#39;s neck. The film seal is removed and the wine is exposed and ready to drink. The bottle can be easily filled using modern bottling equipment. The device increases efficiency with respect to raw materials, production costs, transportation, and storage space by alleviating the need for a separate wine glass.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit under Title 35 United States Code §119(e) of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/382,352 filed Sep. 13, 2010, the full disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention generally relates to a combination wine bottle and wine glass device. More specifically, the present invention relates to a single serving wine bottle wherein the bottle can be easily and quickly transformed into a wine glass without adding any parts to the basic design.

2. Description of the Related Art

Convenient packaging for beverages is an important marketing consideration for busy consumers. Active outdoor lifestyles have also promoted the use of portable, disposable packaging for all types of drinks The most common packaging is the single serve bottle. For a beverage such as wine, the use of a single serve bottle has additional advantages. Once opened and exposed to air, oxygen starts to react with the wine. Such oxidation improves the flavor of the wine, particularly of red wines. However, the exposure to air that initially improves the taste of wine, will eventually cause it to spoil. Because of the adverse effects associated with opening and not finishing a bottle of wine, a single serve bottle is not only convenient, but also preserves the flavor of the wine until immediately prior to consumption.

A single serve bottle, however, is not as desirable for enjoying wine as it may be for soda, juice, or beer. For many beverages, drinking the liquid from a bottle does not detract from the flavor, nor does drinking the liquid from a glass enhance the experience. For wine, however, the appearance, aroma, and flavor are greatly enhanced by the drinking vessel.

The benefits of drinking from a glass are significant for wine, perhaps more than for virtually any other beverage. Wine glasses are shaped to enhance the flavor of the wine and to direct the wine to the part of your mouth where its flavor will be most appreciated. The bowl of a wine glass is shaped to capture and distribute the wine's aroma toward your mouth and nose. In all types of wine glasses, both red and white, the bowl must be large enough to swirl your wine, opening it up to more air and allowing its aromas to be released. Swirling wine serves a very important purpose.

Thus, although there are single serving wine bottles in the prior art, there is a need for a device which is easily convertible into an aesthetically pleasing wine glass which is efficient and economical to produce, and is at least as environmentally friendly as the single serving wine bottles currently on the market.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The general purpose of the present invention, which will be described subsequently in greater detail, is to provide a single serving wine bottle which can be quickly and easily converted into a wine glass. The device has many of the advantages of a conventional wine bottle and wine glass and many novel features that result in a new user-friendly and aesthetically pleasing drinking device which is not anticipated, rendered obvious, or even implied by any of the known devices, either alone or in any combination thereof.

In satisfaction of the above, the present invention provides a single serving wine bottle, which by way of a novel combination of component parts, provides benefits that simply are not possible with known devices. Applicant's invention provides a device that can be easily and quickly transformed into a wine glass without adding any additional components to the basic design. The bottle can be easily filled using modern bottling equipment. The device increases efficiency with respect to raw materials, production costs, transportation, and storage space by alleviating the need for a separate wine glass.

In its most preferred form, the present invention is comprised of a crystal clear PET (Polyethylene terephthalate) plastic which has been approved by the FDA and has been a proven material in the bottle market for many years. The bottle has five main components: bottle body, base, base band, top band, and tear away seal to keep the wine inside the bottle and fresh. The top of the bottle neck and the underneath side of the base have mating fastening features which allows the base to be assembled onto the bottle neck and flipped over to be used as a glass.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Applicant's invention may be further understood from a description of the accompanying drawings, wherein unless otherwise specified, like referenced numerals are intended to depict like components in the various views.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the combination wine bottle and wine glass of the present invention shown in its closed wine bottle configuration;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the combination wine bottle and wine glass of the present invention shown in its open wine glass configuration;

FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the primary components of the combination wine bottle and wine glass of the present invention;

FIG. 4A is a top plan view of the combination wine bottle and wine glass of the present invention shown in its closed bottle configuration;

FIG. 4B is a side plan view of the combination wine bottle and wine glass of the present invention shown in its closed bottle configuration;

FIG. 5A is a top plan view of the combination wine bottle and wine glass of the present invention shown in its open glass configuration;

FIG. 5B is a side plan view of the combination wine bottle and wine glass of the present invention shown in its open glass configuration;

FIG. 6A is a partial cross-sectional view of the base of the combination wine bottle and wine glass of the present invention shown in its closed bottle configuration; and

FIG. 6B is a partial cross-sectional view of the base of the combination wine bottle and wine glass of the present invention shown in its open glass configuration.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

With reference first to FIG. 1, a perspective view of the combination wine bottle and wine glass of the present invention is shown in its closed wine bottle configuration, and is generally designated by the reference number 10. The bottle/glass body 12 has a bowl portion 18 and a bottle neck/glass stem portion 20.

As shown in this view, the combination wine bottle and wine glass 10 may be shaped like a conventional wine bottle. Variations to this basic shape are possible, in that the bowl portion 18 of the bottle may be shaped more or less rounded as desired. That is, it may be desirable to shape the bowl portion in a more rounded manner for a red wine and to shape the bowl portion in a less rounded manner for a white wine.

Likewise, the bottle neck/glass stem portion 20 may be of varying length according to the desired image. In a preferred embodiment, the bottle neck/glass stem portion 20 is configured to be of such length as to ensure a comfortable size for holding the device when used in the open glass configuration. Such variations would result in a different bottle image and also in a different glass profile when the device is opened for drinking.

In a preferred embodiment, the bottle/glass body 12 and the bottle/glass base 14 are comprised of Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) which is used widely as a synthetic fiber and also in food and beverage packaging applications. PET is a heat-softened and cool re-hardened material in the polyester family of plastic resins.

Some of the desirable properties of PET include its high tear strength and clarity, and it can be manufactured in many different processes. This material can be processed to give either one of two structures: amorphous (high clarity transparent) or semi-crystalline (opaque). Thus, the device may be crystal clear or opaque, depending on the image desired. Other similar materials known in the art may also be used in the manufacture of this device.

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, insert pedestal 34 is positioned in the center of base 14. In closed wine bottle configuration, insert pedestal 34 faces away from bowl portion 18 of bottle body 12.

FIG. 2 provides a perspective view of the combination wine bottle and wine glass 10 of the present invention shown in its open wine glass configuration. This view illustrates the base 14 connected to the bottle neck/glass stem portion 20 with the bottle/glass bowl portion 18 open and upright for drinking from top edge 22. As shown in FIG. 2, neck end portion 16 of wine bottle body 12 is sized and configured to fit inside insert pedestal 34 in wine glass configuration. The base 14 has been inverted to hold neck end portion 16, with tapered portion 40 now facing upward.

We refer now to FIG. 3, which is an exploded perspective view of the primary components of the combination wine bottle and wine glass 10 of the present invention. The device is shown in the wine bottle position with the bottle neck 20 pointing upward, with the base 14 on the bottom. Band 38 having pull tab 39 is positioned at the end of the neck portion 20 of the wine bottle 10. Band 24 having pull tab 25 is positioned at the opposite end of the wine bottle 10, near edge 22 of the bottle bowl portion 18 as identified in FIG. 3. The film sheet cover seal 33 is shown between base 14 and rim 22 of the bowl 18. This film sheet seals the wine in the bottle and is only removed after the base 14 is attached to the bottle neck 20 and the bottle is inverted.

Reference is made to FIG. 4A for a top plan view of the combination wine bottle and wine glass 10 of the present invention shown in its closed bottle configuration including the band 24, pull tab 25, body 12, band 38, pull tab 39, neck end 16, and bottle neck 20. FIG. 4B shows a side plan view of the combination wine bottle and wine glass 10 in its closed bottle configuration. In FIG. 4B, the end of bottle neck 20 is positioned inside band 38 with pull tab 39. Band 24 is wrapped around the opposite end of the wine bottle body 12, surrounding base member 14.

Reference is now made to FIG. 5A for a top plan view of the combination wine bottle and wine glass 10 of the present invention shown in its open glass configuration including the base 14, body 12, neck end 16, insert pedestal 34, and film sheet cover seal 33. The simplicity of the overall design is particularly evident in this view.

FIG. 5B illustrates a side plan view of the combination wine bottle and wine glass 10 of the present invention shown in its open glass configuration. In FIG. 5B, the bottle/glass body 12 is positioned with the glass rim 22 facing upward in drinking position with the film sheet cover seal 33 still in place. On the bottom of the bottle neck/glass stem portion 20, the base 14 is shown attached at the glass stem with neck end portion 16 located inside insert pedestal 34. The tapered portion 40 of base 14 is clearly visible in this view.

We now continue in FIG. 6A with a partial cross-sectional view of the base 14 of the combination wine bottle and wine glass 10 of the present invention shown in its closed bottle configuration. FIG. 6A sets forth the detailed features of the base 14. The bottle/glass bowl portion 18 is positioned next to the base 14. The glass rim 22 is shown having film sheet cover seal 33 in place. Base 14 is shown in its inverted position with insert pedestal 34 positioned away from the wine bottle body 12.

Finally, we turn to FIG. 6B with a partial cross-sectional view of the base 14 of the combination wine bottle and wine glass 10 of the present invention shown in its open glass configuration. In this figure, we see the bottle neck/glass stem portion 20 attached to the base 14 at the insert pedestal 34.

In summary, using the device of the present invention as a wine glass is a simple matter. Simply remove the bands from either end of the wine bottle, flip the base over and insert the neck of the bottle into the base and press to fit. The two members may be turned slightly to tighten by increased friction. Peel the seal off the top edge of the bottle body. The wine is exposed and ready to serve.

The ease of use and simplicity of design of the present invention are evident from the drawing figures and the detailed description as stated above. The outside of the combination wine bottle and wine glass 10 of the present invention can easily be branded with a sticky paper label or stamped with ink. The label will preferably contain branding information, consumer product information, and product use instructions. The bottles may be packaged conventionally in a 12 bottle case or in other packaging configurations as desired.

Although the invention has been described with reference to specific embodiments, this description is not meant to be construed in a limited sense. Various modifications of the disclosed embodiments, as well as alternative embodiments of the invention will become apparent to persons skilled in the art upon reference to the description of the invention. It is, therefore, contemplated that the appended claims will cover such modifications that fall within the scope of the invention. 

1. A combination wine bottle and wine glass comprising: a cylindrical body having a wide portion and a narrowed portion, a base element having a first face and a second face, said first face configured to align with said wide portion of said cylindrical body, said second face configured to removably attach to said narrowed portion of said cylindrical body, a removable seal adhered to said wide portion of said cylindrical body, and a removable band surrounding said wide portion of said cylindrical body and said base element. 